Meaning It
by GiantPurpleRing
Summary: Padfoot has: Met the love of his life. Cheated on and been dumped by said love of his life. Found her commiting dirty deeds in a broom cuboard with another man. Forced the her inside an epmpty classroom in a desperate last-ditch attempt to win her back...


**This was written for the I Love You challenge and for the Black Family challenge.**

Morgan smiled shyly, looking up at him through her long, black lashes. "Thanks again for the candy floss, Sirius," she murmured, taking his hand.

Sirius wished very dearly that this sort of soft, delicate behavior was out of character for his girlfriend. But it was not. In fact, Sirius had discovered within a week of their relationship that Morgan Carpenter was the quietest, sweetest girl in her year. As far as Sirius knew, she had never so much as squashed a bug in her entire life.

That, coupled with her beauty, made her one of the most sought after females in her year. For in addition to her gentle spirit, Morgan had a chestnut mane of glossy curls that hung just below her shoulders and huge, tawny colored eyes. Her skin was milky white and as smooth as silk, and her figure was willowy.

To the average male, she was intoxicating in every possible way.

But Sirius, quite obviously, was not the average male. He was more like the average male on crack. And Morgan, quite frankly, bored him.

Certainly he didn't think her worthy of spending actual _money _on. Not even if it was just a few sickles for a pack of candy floss. Sirius had gotten it for himself. But on his way back to the common room he had seen Morgan. He'd waved her over, and Morgan, seeing the unopened candy, had assumed that he'd meant it for her.

Sirius didn't tell her otherwise. There was rumor going around the school that Sirius Black was actually in possession of a heart, and for once, the rumor was true. If he told her that it wasn't a gift, she would be humiliated. Sirius didn't much care about her feelings. But, after all, it was only candy floss. He could always go back and get some more later.

Plus, again, Morgan was beautiful. And Sirius wanted things from her that she wouldn't give if he made her feel uncomfortable before they even broached the subject.

Sirius quickened his pace, pulling gently on her hand. "Come on," he murmured seductively, having done this countless times before, with countless different women. There had been no failed attempts.

"What is it, Siri?" Morgan asked curiously, tripping along behind him.

Sirius inwardly cringed at the nickname. Why so many girls seemed to think he enjoyed being called that…but he didn't show his irritation. Instead he turned his head and nibbled suggestively on her neck. The move was so practiced that he didn't need to slow down.

Morgan giggled girlishly, two small red spots appearing on either cheek. She sped up as well, and her gait became clumsy, betraying her eagerness. When she wasn't looking, Sirius allowed himself one triumphant smirk. This girl would go down like all the others.

They walked like this for awhile. Sirius, brisk and arrogant, Morgan, exited and expectant, until they came upon a broom cupboard. Sirius stopped in front of it, kissing Morgan full on the mouth before yanking open the door and-

"Merlin! Black, do you _mind?_"

"Oh! Sorry," Morgan whispered, blushing a deep scarlet.

Sirius looked down at the tangle of limbs before him. His eyes fell on the boy first. He was long and lean, with messy blonde hair and dark eyes. Sirius recognized him as Brandon Nickleson, a seventh year Hufflepuff. He, much like Morgan, looked completely mortified.

Sirius's gaze then fell on the all too familiar owner of the voice that had spoken. His eyes raked greedily over her hourglass figure, ash-blonde hair tumbling over delicate shoulders, up to her wide green eyes. If she were not in this current and rather scandalous predicament, she would have looked like an angel. Sweet, innocent. Like Morgan, in that way. But she was a far from Morgan as was possible to be. Morgan was _safe. _

Morgan didn't have the power that this girl had.

As Sirius took in the obvious meaning of her words, easily putting together what they must have been doing, he felt it. His heart twisted painfully inside his chest. His temples throbbed, and he found himself hating Brandon, this boy whom up until three seconds ago he had quite liked. He balled his fingers into fists and shoved them into his pockets, keeping them from reaching out. Whether it was to throttle Brandon or to inappropriately touch the female next to him, Sirius did not know.

Why, of all the women God could have gifted with the ability to do this to him, did he have to give it to Lattie Matison?

"It's fine," Lattie was saying coolly to Morgan, not sparing Sirius a glance. "Honest mistake. There's an empty classroom three doors down, why don't you try that?" She knew what the tow of them were going to do, and yet she didn't seem to care. She didn't care a lick, and here Sirius was about to have a coronary.

It was kind of ironic, when you thought about it. Of all the beautiful witches in the world, Sirius had to fall for the only one who didn't swoon at the sight of him.

Typical. Horrendously unfair, to be sure, but typical. Story of his life.

Sirius had always had a hard time with being loved by the people who were supposed to love him the most. That was what the Marauders were for. They were the only ones he could trust, the only ones he _needed _to trust. Nobody else mattered.

Except…except if that were true, why did he feel so miserable now, standing here without her? What made it so _wrong _to have Morgan on his arm?

"Sirius…" Morgan tugged on his hand. "Come _on…._"

Sirius pulled his hand from hers, not thinking, still staring. "Um, actually, Morgan, Lattie and I need to talk about something…don't we, Lattie?" After all, fixing a wrong meant making it right. He and Lattie together was the definition of right.

If only she could see that.

Lattie glared balefully, her chin jutting out. "No," she said, stubborn and prideful as a centaur. "No, I don't think that we do."

Sirius, of course, was even more so. "Muggle Studies," he said firmly, taking her by the wrist and hauling her up. "We're doing something together in Muggle Studies."

He turned and dragged her off, not noticing the hurt and bewildered look his girlfriend sent him and ignoring the loud protests coming from Brandon. He barely felt Lattie as she struggled uselessly against his grip. It was as if he had been stuffed with cotton in a feeble attempt to prevent the anguish that was surely coming; everything felt very far away.

His feet carried him to the empty classroom that Lattie had mentioned, stopping at the entrance. Sirius went inside, forcing Lattie in with him. The door slammed shut, and he twisted around, pressing Lattie's shoulders against the door to prevent her escape.

She scowled at him reproachfully, her arms crossed over her chest. "Are you going to pin me against the wall and scream at me every time you find me with another man?" she demanded.

"I only did that once. And I didn't scream at you, I stuck my tongue down your throat," Sirius said frankly.

"And then screamed at me," Lattie retorted.

"Well, what the hell am I supposed to do when I catch you with someone else?" Sirius heard his voice rise without his permission. She knew how to piss him off faster than his own mother.

"Grit your teeth and ignore it, like I always do," Lattie said tersely.

"Yes well, you have more self control than I do. Congratulations." Sirius snapped.

"Oh, I know I do, because I only got with other people _after_ we broke up!" She spat the words in his face.

"We were never _together, _remember?" Sirius could feel himself getting angrier. "You said it yourself. _Friends with benefits,_" he pronounced the last phrase with obvious distaste, though with anybody else it had been his favorite title for a relationship.

"Well excuse me for listening to James and Lily and Remus and Peter and Alice and-_everyone! _They told me it was all you'd take, and they were _right. _I apologize for deciding that I deserved better!" Lattie raged, shouting the words at him.

Sirius flinched under the impact of their meaning.

All of his anger drained from him just as quickly as it had come, when it should have been at its peak. But how could he respond, knowing that any argument he gave would be a lie?

Sirius sighed in defeat, relaxing his hold on her shoulder, but unable to let go.

"I know," he whispered, hating himself when his voice cracked.

Lattie softened, but not enough for the anger to leave her eyes.

"What am I doing here, Sirius?" It was a question, but she said it like a command.

Sirius could feel himself losing his nerve.

What _was_ she doing here? She was never going to forgive him, _obviously. _He needed to get over her. It couldn't be that hard. He'd just open the door, right now, and walk away with his pride and his-

"What can I do to deserve you?" It took some effort, but Sirius managed to ask the question without letting his gaze or his voice waver. He was a Gryffindor, after all. Only Slytherins backed out when they got scared.

Lattie's face blanked. She was floored, he could tell. "You-you're serious?" she asked, a little breathlessly.

"Serious?" Sirius allowed himself a grin. Changing the mood was probably the best thing to do in this situation. "Of course I'm serious. I'm perfectly serious. I'm Sirius Black!"

Lattie rolled her eyes. "Merlin's flip flops, Black. You're a piece of work, you know that?"

"Yes. Now answer the question."

Lattie eyed him suspiciously, searching for any signs of disloyalty. Sirius wasn't bothered, he knew that she would find none.

"Ditch the brunette," she said.

"I prefer blondes anyway."

"And every blonde in the world except for me."

"Of course."

"Be nice to Mary."

"Done."

"And to my brothers."

"But-"

"_Sirius._"

"Fine. Whatever. Marauder's honor." Sirius grumbled. Was it really his fault that they had decided to hate him at first sight, and love his best friend? Lattie and James were _not _going to get married. James was much too in love with Lily, and anyway, Sirius would throttle him if they ever started dating. Lattie's brothers should accept that fact and move on.

Lattie snorted skeptically. "Yes, because the word of the Marauders is _so _reliable."

Sirius gaped at her, agog. "I…am…_shocked. _Shocked and appalled that you would even _think _of questioning the integrity of the Marauders. After all we've done for you, you don't even have the common decency to-"

"Yes, yes, I know," Lattie interrupted. "I'm a terrible person. Shut up. I have a last request."

Sirius stared at her worriedly. Her tone had…changed, some how. Gone back to its previous seriousness. Sirius hated it when Lattie was serious. Normally, it meant that he would end up getting hurt, in some way shape or form. And that was no fun, obviously. "Yeah?" he asked her. "Do you need my kidney? Because I'd totally give it to you. I mean, we'd have to find a good doctor and all, but-"

"Tell me you love me." Lattie interrupted again, and the words that came out of her mouth could not have shocked Sirius more than if she'd told him she was a lesbian.

In fact, for a second he didn't even realize that she'd said them.

"Oka-_what?_" Sirius felt his heart stop for one long moment in shock, then race head, galloping as if making up for lost time. "But-I mean-" he scrambled uselessly for words. Why was it that they always seemed to evade him when he needed them the most?

Lattie waited. "I mean it, Sirius," she warned. "I'm not Morgan. I'm not going to follow you into the lion's den and come out stripped clean."

Sirius bit his lip, wishing that there were some way for him to have Lattie without there being the possibility of rejection. He knew that he loved her. She was his best friend, the person he cared for above all others. The sickened feeling in the pit of his stomach when he saw her with Brandon was enough of a confirmation. But he had never said the words out loud.

He knew in his head that it was stupid, but he couldn't help wondering if this was some sort of twisted revenge plot on Lattie's part. Get his heart, then break it to bits?

Sirius knew his limits. He knew that there was a reason that he'd never felt so much as a hint of genuine affection for any girl before meeting Lattie. Like James. There would only be one girl he'd ever care for, but that one girl could destroy him with a single word.

He dropped his hands from her shoulders and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into his chest and holding her close, craving protection and reassurance.

"Do I have to?" Sirius asked in a small voice.

"Yes," Lattie said primly. "And you have to mean it."

Sirius sighed, gathering up his courage. He'd said it himself-whatever it took to get her back, he would do.

He pulled away just enough to let her see his face; to let her see the vulnerability there. "I love you," he said softly. "And I mean it."

Lattie's face melted into a smile, and she stood on her tiptoes to brush her lips against his.

"I love you," she echoed.


End file.
